1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to the production of utilitarian or decorative objects such as floor and wall tiles, architectural moldings, vases and other three-dimensional pieces formed mainly of plastic materials, such as polyester, having a metallic appearance. The fabricated objects have the appearance of a genuine metal piece such as a bronze object and can be made to have the hand simulating that of the genuine object, that is, a weight significantly greater than the same object when made entirely of a plastic material. When the object is a decorative tile, molding or the like, the object may be fabricated so the outer surface has a metallic surface giving the appearance that the object is made from metal while the inner surface of the object has a roughened ceramic surface, such as a ceramic tile of ceramic molding would have, giving the appearance that the object is made of ceramic and providing a product which acts like a ceramic product in terms of its use and installation characteristics.
2. Background of the Art
One way of imparting a metallic appearance to an object is, of course, to cast that object from the metal. However, casting a three-dimensional object from a metal such as bronze or copper can be a relatively expensive process with the result that decorative objects such as vases, tiles and the like are not readily available in the mass market to ordinary consumers.
Alloys such as bronze were used in very early times for forming many objects and, therefore, bronze affords a record of ancient life and the arts. The early Egyptians cast and hammered bronze into utensils, armor and statuary, as did the early Greeks and Romans. These pieces were often polished to provide highly reflective and beautiful surfaces which render the pieces greatly prized in the modern art market. However, the cost of fabricating a vase or other decorative piece of bronze or other decorative metal is relatively high, and such pieces are not available in the mass market to ordinary consumers.
Attempts have been made in the past to impart a bronze-like appearance to decorative or utilitarian objects. However, these objects generally do not have the appearance of a genuine bronze or a metallic body. U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,910 discloses a molding technique in which the surface of the mold is coated with a bronzing liquid wherein bronze particles are dispersed in a resin base to create a bronze-like layer in the mold which is then filled with a moldable plastic material such as a phenolic.
Ceramic objects such as floor and wall tiles have been glazed with a coating of metallized enamel and it is also possible to create a thin metallized surface by vacuum deposition, sputtering or other plating techniques on the face of a plastic body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,963 discloses a technique for producing a reinforced panel by spreading out on a stainless steel base treated with a release agent, a mixture of a liquid resinous binder and solid particles of sand or metal powder, these particles settling out to concentrate in the region adjacent the base plate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,773,287 a reinforced plastic pipe is disclosed in which glass fibers, crushed rock or other non-metallic particles are mixed with a polyester resin and added to a pipe mold which is then rotated to produce a centrifugal force causing the particles to migrate toward the outer surface of the tube.
Throughout the specification, the terms "hand" and "appearance" are utilized in describing the invention.
The term "hand" refers to the tactile reaction of an individual handling an object. Thus, when an individual has a polished bronze piece in his hand, what he feels is the cold metal. He may also feel the sensation of weight. If instead of a genuine bronze piece the individual is given an identical piece made of plastic with a bronze-enamel facing, then what he senses is the relatively warm plastic material and a much lighter weight.
The term "appearance" refers to the visual impression made by a piece. Using the same example, what the individual will see in a genuine bronze piece is a distinctive bronze glow. However, when confronted by the piece having a shining bronze-enamel facing, he will perceive an obvious imitation, not an authentic bronze.
The term "hand" and "appearance" are interrelated. If an object, though made of plastic, looks like it were made of metal and has a weight significantly greater than one would expect a plastic object to weigh, then the holder of this object, who is subjected to both impressions, thinks he is holding a metal object. Most individuals are normally sensitive only to gross differences in weight. If a piece in the hands of an individual weighs more than plastic and looks like the genuine metal, then the holder receives the impression that the piece is made of metal even if it is not as heavy as pure metal.
While the invention will be described in connection with plastic pieces having bronze particles incorporated therein, it is to be understood that it is not limited to this alloy and is applicable to other metals which are inherently decorative when polished, such as aluminum, brass, copper, nickel-silver (pewter), and other metals.